TUC rejects President’s plea; says 10-day ultimatum to reduce utility tariffs still stands

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Created on Wednesday, 16 October 2013 00:00

TUC rejects President’s plea; says 10-day ultimatum to reduce utility tariffs still stands

17 October 2013

The Trade Union Congress says it will not reverse its 10-day ultimatum to government to review new utility tariffs, despite President John Mahama’s plea for more time.

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The Public Utilities and Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a 52 percent increase in water tariffs and 78.9 percent for electricity beginning this month

The workers' union says government has up to next week Tuesday to review the increases or face a number of actions, including strike.

President Mahama urged the TUC withdraw the threat to strike, while a technical committee headed by vice president Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur assesses the cost build-up of the utility providers to find creative ways of cushioning consumers.

But a meeting held by members of a technical committee of the TUC has resolved to stand by the earlier position.

General Secretary of the TUC Kofi Asamoah told Joy News: "The meeting agreed that the ultimatum should still hold...but then we should participate in the technical committee meeting and ensure that a solution is found".

In a related development, members of the Tema District Council of Labour on Thursday embarked a demonstration to protest the increments in utility tariffs.

They have also threatened to lay down their tools if the increases are not reviewed downwards.

Source: Myjoyonline